The vast majority of modern beds utilize a box spring between a mattress and a bed frame. Box springs are made to provide a softer surface on which the mattress rests, but they often lack an attractive appearance. In addition, box springs include wooden structural supports, preventing one from cleaning them in a washer and dryer.
Currently these problems are solved by bed skirts. Bed skirts are manufactured in many varieties. A first version of a bed skirt includes a fabric, which is sewn directly to the bed frame. This type of bed skirt is still difficult to clean because cleaning involves removing the fabric from the box spring and later reattaching it. A second version includes a decorative fabric that is sewn to an elasticized fabric, where the elasticized fabric is wrapped around the box spring. A problem with the second version, as well as the first, is that the bed skirt must be custom made to fit the precise dimensions of the box spring. Even within differently sized beds (such as twin, full, queen, and king), there are variations in length and width, commonly referred to as, among others, “standard” or “extra long”, Existing bed skirts must be specially made for each variation of width and length.
These problems are especially true for hotels. In order to insert or remove a conventional bed skirt, a hotel housekeeper must first remove the mattress. Removing a mattress can be both time consuming and dangerous for the housekeeper, especially if the person is working alone.